The Arizona sentinel., 1887-05-14
ARTICHOKES FOR STOCK.

Their Nutritive Qualities Considered AL
 most Equal to Those of Corn.
 Those persons who feel the real need of some successful food for stock dur ing the season of year when it can not be had in the usual way and who can not afford the expense or inconvenience of providing it by way ot the silo, can do it by the cultivation of roots as the next best thing. And the question arises as to which of the various kinds is the best, the most cheaply grown and the most convenient to care for and utilize when grown. The verdict of those who have ample experience in the matter is that artichokes more fully fill the conditions named than any other.
 This and the potato contain the least per cent. of water as compared with all other available roots, thus afford ing larger remainder for fat and flesh producing elements, consisting mainly of starch in the potato and sugar in the artichoke. The sugar element in the artichoke is no doubt the cause of its great superiority over the potato in several respects as a universal stock food for winter use. Nearly all the stock like sugar, and consequently the artichoke soon be- comes palatable not only to the hog kind, for which it is peculiarly adapted, but also to cattle, being good for milch cows and also for horses.
 It is very nutritious, being considered almost equal to corn in fattening quali- ties as well as more healthful, being laxative and antiscorbutic in its effects. It is much more cheaply grown than the potato, from the fact that the same labor will produce three times more in quantity of artichokes without consid- ering the numerous drawbacks to which the potato is subject, viz; bugs, worms etc., from which the artichoke is free. It is unaffected by freezing, consequently may be dug at leisure or left in the ground and be taken as wanted through the winter, when ab- sence of frost will permit, or in the spring when it is peculiarly acceptable to stock before green food appears. This quality renders it peculiarly available, as it virtually takes care of itself when grown, and saves anxiety and loss.
 Its cultivation is essentially the same as that of the potato. It resembles the potato as tuber in size, shape and eyes. The seed may be cut to one or more eyes and planted in hills or drills in furrows six or eight inches deep, and cultivated and hilled same as potatoes About three bushels are re- quired to the acre. If the design is to dig them for use Gnstead of fencing them in for the hogs to harvest as they may be disposed, during the winter), the best way is to go over them with the scythe cutting the tops close to the ground and removing them, leay- ing the ground clean for digging and picking. If left to the hogs and the tubers are not cleaned out by spring, the patch will reseed itself and a spon- taneous crop be produced.
 This, however, in case of an open winter, would leave too much uncer- tainty as to the future supply. There need be no fear, as some suppose, that this reproductiveness will prove a nuisance, for if the tubers are all taken out, or if the growth is plowed under about July l, that is the end of it-the life is spent and the tuber rots. Brother farmer, keep your stock healthy dur ing the dry feeding season. Have some variety and green food fed more or less regularly and you will not need fear disease. Artichokes are eminent ly available to this end. " Nicholson, iR Western Rural.